How To Create The Perfect Geordie Night In According To 5 North East Celebs

As the ‘big night out’ becomes the ‘big night in’, we thought we might help people keep their spirits up by sharing a taste of North East England life with the world. Since Newcastle was named Rough Guides ‘top destination in the world to visit’ in 2018, we don’t want people to feel disappointed that they can’t make their highly anticipated Toon trip this spring. So, if you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you! With the help of a few lovely Geordies sharing their favourite examples of North East life and culture, here’s how you can enjoy a taste of what the region has to offer from the comfort of your living room. So what are you waiting for? Grab a Fentimans Ginger Beer, dust-off your Vera box-set and have yersel a geet proper Geordie neet in!

Brooke Bentham - Sam Fender's favourite North East music act

Brooke Bentham / Via youtube.com

Sam Fender said: "Brooke Bentham definitely because she's an amazing singer songwriter (and also my mate). We grew up together on the buskers' scene in Newcastle and she's just released her album 'Everyday Nothing'. It's absolutely outstanding. Go check her out." Great tip from Sam Fender and if you haven’t checked his music out then, seriously, where have you been? Plus, we can’t not mention the likes of Cheryl Cole, Ant n Dec and the lovely Joe McElderry - who is a true superstar having just live-streamed a benefit gig in support of the Customs House arts venue in South Shields. And for fans of folk music, check out the hugely talented The Unthanks. Plus, if you want to discover some new North East England sounds check out this specially curated playlist by Groovebox Adam on Spotify.

Boy Meets Girl - Denise Welch's favourite North East TV show

BBC 2 / Via youtube.com

Denise said: “It would be easy to say the classic Auf Wiedersehen Pet – but I’d like to mention a more recent show – Boy Meets Girl - which was mostly filmed in Newcastle and is available on Amazon Prime. I was very proud to be involved in the first trans comedy for the BBC. It was ground-breaking and launched the career of Rebecca Root, the trans actress now in many movies.”

In addition to Denise’s favourite, other shows that’ll give you a taste of the North East include the fabulous Vera on ITV with Brenda Blethyn and Geordie actor, Riley Jones, the classic When the Boat Comes In by James Mitchell available as a box set from Amazon, and the brilliant BBC Three docu-series, Angels of the North set in Tyneside hair salon, Longlox.

Carl Hutchinson - Chris Ramsey's favourite North East comic

Carl Hutchinson / Via youtube.com

Chris said: “You can watch my mate (and the guy who supports me on tour), Carl Hutchinson on YouTube for free! His full solo show is up there, filmed at the beautiful Tyne Theatre a few months ago.”

Of course, Chris himself is also one to watch and he and the superb Rosie Ramsey host their hilarious marital podcast, Sh**ged, Married, Annoyed available for everyone’s ears through all the usual channels. We’re also the home of North East superstar Sarah Millican and the brilliant Gavin Webster who’s a legend on the comedy circuit (especially memorable for his panda routine!). And, when we’re all free to travel again, there are tonnes of venues in Newcastle and the North East that host comedy shows including The Stand, The Tyne Theatre and Opera House and the legendary Live Theatre by the Quayside.

Briggflatts by Basil Bunting - Lee Hall's favourite North East book

Image from Bloodaxe Books / Via writing.upenn.edu

Lee, who himself is a legend around the world for creating the brilliant Billy Elliott, said: “Briggflats is my favourite book full stop. It was written by Basil Bunting in the mid-sixties when he worked as a copy editor on the Evening Chronicle. It’s a biography in verse about his extraordinary early life where he ended up as Ezra Pound’s assistant, played chess with Franco in the Canaries and was hounded out of Iran for being a British Spy. But it is as much a poem about the North. Its landscape. Its language. Its history. It took the literary world by storm and Bunting became an international celebrity on the poetry circuit.”

Other books that’ll take you into some atmospheric North East settings include The Offing by Benjamin Myers, a BBC 2 Book Club Pick set in Durham; Saltwater by Jessica Andrews of Sunderland; a smorgasbord of crime novels from Ann Cleeves of Vera and Shetland fame and of course the famous children’s book, The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall.

Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves - Alfie Joey's favourite North East* film

YouTube / Via youtube.com

OK, so it's not a *North East tale as such (sorry Nottingham!), but look at the backdrop - it's Hadrian's Wall and Sycamore Gap. Alfie Joey, BBC Newcastle presenter and artist said: “Given that I’m currently spending a lot of time painting the tree at Sycamore Gap, I’m going to say Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves. It’s lovely seeing the backdrop of Northumberland’s Sycamore Gap in one of the scenes. It also takes me back to the many school trips we had to Hadrian’s Wall when I was a kid.”

Other films that’ll take you into some of the many visitor delights of the North East include Harry Potter (featuring Hogwarts - aka Alnwick Castle in Northumberland), the legendary Get Carter and the more recent smash hit I, Daniel Blake.

So, to keep you feeling upbeat during these tricky times, please feel free to enjoy a taste of what North East England has to offer from the comfort of your very own sofa. But one thing you’ll have to visit us in person for is the famous Geordie welcome. When we’re all allowed to get social again, come visit – we’d love to see you.